Thursday 30 July 2015 15:20, UK
Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor has criticised Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Richard Stearman for injuring him in this week's friendly between the sides.
Agbonlahor was substituted with 25 minutes remaining of Villa’s 2-2 draw with Wolves at Molineux following a heavy tackle from Stearman and is now facing a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of his side’s Premier League opener at Bournemouth on August 8.
The 28-year-old took to social media website Instagram to reveal his anger and posted an image showing his foot and lower part of his leg in a bandage.
Agbonlahor posted: “This is what happens when you play a local team in a pre-season friendly. When they can't stop you they foul you!!!”
The injury to the England international, who was replaced by young forward Callum Robinson, will come as a concern for Villa manager Tim Sherwood with just over a week to go before the start of the new season.
Sherwood could cushion the blow of potentially losing Agbonlahor to injury by signing Blackburn Rovers frontman Rudy Gestede.
Sky sources understands Gestede will undergo a medical ahead of a move to Villa after a £6m fee was agreed between the two clubs.
Sherwood has been busy attempting to add to his attacking options following the £32.5m departure of Christian Benteke to Liverpool earlier this month.
Ghana international Jordan Ayew this week completed a switch to Villa, signing a five-year contract to become Sherwood’s sixth acquisition of the summer following the arrivals of Jordan Amavi, Idrissa Gueye, Scott Sinclair, Micah Richards and Mark Bunn.
Sherwood followed up the signing of Ayew by wrapping up a deal for defender Jose Angel Crespo as he attempts to put his own stamp on the Villa squad having only arrived as manager in February.
